Detergent compositions should have a good suds profile while providing good soil and grease cleaning. Users usually see foam as an indicator of the performance of the detergent composition. Moreover, the user of a detergent composition may also use the suds profile and the appearance of the foam (density, whiteness) as an indicator that the wash solution still contains active detergent ingredients. This is particularly the case for manual washing, also referred to herein as hand-washing, where the user usually doses the detergent composition depending on the suds remaining and renews the wash solution when the suds/foam subsides or when the foam does not look thick enough. Thus, a detergent composition, particularly a manual wash detergent composition that generates little or low density foam would tend to be replaced by the user more frequently than is necessary.
Thus, it is desirable for a detergent composition to provide good cleaning and also good foam height and density as well as good foam duration during the initial mixing of the detergent with water and during the entire washing operation. When used in a hand-washing process, the composition preferably also provides a pleasant washing experience, i.e, good feel on the user's hands during the wash. Preferably detergent compositions are also easy to rinse. Preferably in addition, the composition provides a good finish to the washed items.
It has been found that some types of soil, in particular greasy soils, act as a foam suppressor as they are removed from soiled articles into the wash liquor, triggering consumers to replace the product more frequently than is necessary. As such there is a need to provide detergent compositions with desirable foam and cleaning properties, especially over time as greasy soils are removed from soiled articles. Typical oily/greasy soils include cooking oils for example, plant oils such as palm kernel oil, coconut oil and olive oil, and animal soils such as animal fats and body soils such as sebum.